Date: 01/21/13Felecia WilliamsTitle: Living your dreamsThe 3rd Monday in January every year, marks the day that we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This same man was a supporter and leader for change in America and he gained the attention of the nation with his actions and his dreams. Having a dream is having aspirations for the future and Dr. King is a reminder that you never know where your dreams may lead you unless you try.Writing an essay about having a dream landed me an award for 1st place and as a result caused a transformation in me that is still working through me today. Now, I encourage children to do the same by following through with their dreams; rather than setting them aside unaccomplished. Working with at risk teens you come across all types of personalities and for some reason (abuse, delinquency, behavior problems, etc.) they have found themselves in the same place. However, even though for a moment they feel stuck in the unknown, they still dream and have hopes for a better tomorrow.These are still the same youth that cry because they miss their mothers, comfort one another when they need uplifting and share secrets with the new friends they’ve made. These same children are also overwhelmed with all of the idle time they have during their transitions back home. Therefore by encouraging them to dream big helps to reduce any negative thinking and focuses their minds on the fact that as long as they continue to dream they have what they need to achieve success. I asked 5 girls to write a paragraph on their dreams for the future. They were instructed to include their names, ages, what they want to pursue and how they plan on fulfilling their dreams. These are there their stories:My name is Destiny and I am 13 years old. My dream is to become a radiologist. I have always had an interest in x-rays and the body. Also radiologists make good money. I know that I must graduate high school and go to college (preferably Harvard) to accomplish my dream in the future.My dream is to finish high school, go to college and start my career in cosmetology. I chose cosmetology because it’s something I enjoy doing and I see it as making people look exceptionally beautiful. After this I hope to meet that perfect guy, get married, and have a family. – Emily (age 14)My name is Lauren and I am 17 years old. My dream is to become a Marine Biologist and move to Australia to study the Great Barrier Reef. I have always been interested in marine life because I understand it better than a lot of things. I am graduating high school next year, so I plan to go to UCF my first four years and then transfer to UCSD to study at Scripps Institute of Oceanography.My dreams are to finish high school and go to college to pursue a career as a neonatal nurse. I chose this because two of my favorite things I love to do are care for babies and help people. –Taylor (age 15)My name is Connie and on January 30th I will be 17 years old. I have really big dreams long term and short term and within the next year I plan on graduating high school. I know that I must stay focused on the books and the work ahead of me. This summer I am going to the Air Force reserves boot camp. I want to join the military because it offers a lot of opportunities and benefits. I dream to go to college but I am not sure if I want to major in law or medicine. However, I know that in order for me to make it that far I must be focused, my attitude has to change and I have to believe in myself. Taking it one day at a time, I know that I will to live up to my dreams.Everyone has a dream no matter when, where, what or whom they come from. These girls dream just like I dream and just like the late Dr. King once had a dream. They know that dreaming equips you with what’s needed to bring forth the manifestation of the success you hope for. We must believe in ourselves and know that we can achieve anything we put our minds to. So, if you haven’t already, what are you waiting for? Start living your dream now!